Euro 2024 LIVE: Latest reaction after Jude Bellingham gives England win over Serbia

Harry Kane was first to speak to BBC after yesterday’s match saying: “Serbia pose some good threats and have some good players. They will make it a battle for you and I think we dealt with it really well.

“There was a spell in the second half where we got camped in our box and we found it difficult to get out but overall I think we deserved the result, and it was an important win tonight.

“It’s a tough game. They are a good team and have good players, they have a good structure. We stood up to it well, a clean sheet in every game is important, and it is good to get the three points and [for us] to progress. It’s good that we got the win today.”

England got their Euro 2024 campaign up and running with an opening win win over Serbia in Gelsenkirchen.

Jude Bellingham’s powerful header put Gareth Southgate’s side into an early advantage during a first half that they largely controlled, and while a second-half wobble gave their opponents hope, England held firm defensively to secure a valuable three points in Group C.

But which other players stood out in the win? Here’s how the England players rated in Gelsenkirchen:

Here’s a look at the Group C table after the first round of fixtures.

1. England – 3 points, GD +1

2. Denmark – 1 points, GD 0

3. Slovenia – 1 points, GD 0

4. Serbia – 0 points, GD -1

Gareth Southgate started Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield yesterday to play alongside Declan Rice due to his glorious passing range and defensive capabilities.

However, former Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas was unconvinced by the Liverpool right-back’s performance but believes he will improve with time. He told the BBC:

“I thought it was a mixed performance from Trent Alexander-Arnold. There were moments where he was superb but other times he was a bit complacent with the ball.

“He made a mistake that led to a chance for Aleksandar Mitrovic but he reacted and recovered well, showed good personality. The more he plays in the midfield the better he will become.”

With victory over Serbia, England are now top of their group after a draw between Slovenia and Denmark yesterday. The Three Lions take on the Danes in their next match and a win there will be enough to bag them a place in the knockout rounds with a game to spare.

Here are the remaining Group C fixtures:

Slovenia vs Serbia (14:00)

Denmark v England (17:00)

England vs Slovenia (20:00)

Denmark vs Serbia (20:00)

In case you were busy yesterday and missed the match, here’s how England defeated Serbia. Jude Bellingham popping up in the box during the 12th minute:

Here’s what the England captain had to say about Jude Bellingham following the team’s 1-0 win over Serbia.

“[He’s an] unbelievable player,” Kane told the BBC after the match, “He deserves all the praise he’s getting at the moment.

“The confidence he plays with and the way he affects games – it’s important for players playing in his position to get goals and assists, and that’s what he does. He got in the box and finished it off nicely.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game. Serbia posed some tough threats – they are very physical. But overall, it went really well, and I think we deserved the win. In the group, it is just about getting through so it was an important win tonight.”

Serbia threatened to fight back in the second half having been outplayed across the first 45 minutes, but a crucial Jordan Pickford save ensured that Bellingham’s powerful early finish secured all three points.

He knew that himself, of course. The England manager warned on the eve of the game that not every team would start like Germany, and made a point of stating the number of issues he has inherited going into Euro 2024.

Any tournament is a voyage of discovery in that regard, but Southgate still has a lot to figure out.

Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of Euro 2024. England opened their account beautifully on Sunday evening as they defeated Serbia 1-0 to kick off their campaign with a win.

Though Jude Bellingham’s decisive goal was a moment of style and class from the Three Lions they struggled to assert their dominance on the game and had to rely on goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to ensure they got over the line.

Still, they collected three points and now sit top of Group C ahead of a crucial match versus Denmark on Thursday. We’ll have all the reaction to England’s victory plus build-up to today’s matches so stick with us throughout the day.